Explaining the Difference Between “Evoke” and “Invoke”
Evoke means “bring or recall to the mind.”
Invoke means “to appeal to or cite as an authority.”
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Synonyms as Good as Gold
Good is used a lot in our everyday conversations. And for good reason—it’s quite the versatile word that carries several (similar yet slightly different) meanings. Below, we’ll go over a few of them and show you other words you can use instead of good.
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What’s the Difference Between “Affect” and “Effect”?
Most of the time, affect is used as a verb that means “to cause a change or make a difference to someone or something.” For example,“The large meal I had right before that game affected how I played.” Effect is mainly used as a noun that means “a result of an action or other cause.” For instance, “Going to sleep late had an effect on my performance the next day.”
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“Secure” vs. “Safe”: Definitions and Examples
Often, safe and secure can be used interchangeably.
- They asked me to keep the documents in a safe place
- They asked me to keep the documents in a secure place
Safe can be an adjective or noun, whereas secure can be an adjective or verb. The only times they can’t be used interchangeably depends on the context of the sentence and the function of the word. For example, in the following sentence, safe cannot replace secure.
- I needed to secure the luggage on top of the van
- I needed to safe the luggage on top of the van
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When To Use “Buy,” “By,” and “Bye”
You’ve bought the perfect Christmas gifts. Now you have to write the perfect card, and we’re here to help! Below, you’ll find eleven Christmas card messages, plus tips to help you write your own.
- Buy means “to obtain something in exchange for payment.”
I wanted to buy new shoes to wear at the ceremony
- By is used as a preposition that has several meanings, but it’s commonly used to indicate that you’re “in proximity” to something.
I’m standing by the statues
- Bye is the shortened version of goodbye.
Bye! I’ll see you next time.
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If or Whether? We’ll Tell You When to Use Which Word and Why
Deciding when to use one English word over the other sometimes seems more like a matter of intuition over knowledge. Take for example whether and if. In casual speech, they are often used interchangeably. But in formal writing, there’s a distinction between the two. Whether you’re an English language learner or a native speaker, you might want to continue reading if you want to learn the difference.
- Whether and if are both subordinating conjunctions (words that combine clauses or sentences).
- Use if when writing a conditional sentence.
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- You can use the back door if the front door is locked.
- Whether is used to show that there is more than one option available.
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- She was deciding on whether she should attend Stanford or Harvard.
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Nine “For Example” Alternatives
For example is a phrase used “to introduce something chosen as a typical case” or “introduce something that proves something is true.”
- My dog, Oso, is learning many new tricks. For example, he can sit, stay, and lie down.
For example can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Two alternatives of for example are: for instance and e.g.
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“Lay” vs. “Lie”
Lay is commonly used as a verb that means “to place something down flat,” and requires an object.
Lie has a few definitions, and one of them is “to be in a flat position on a surface.” In this sense, lie does not require an object.
Conjugating these verbs in other tenses is especially challenging. For example, the past tense of lie is lay.
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Five Other Ways of Saying “I Don’t Care”
I don’t care can come off as dismissive. Instead, you could try more polite alternatives like I don’t mind.
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When To Use “Though” and “Although”
As conjunctions, although and though mean “in spite of the fact.” When used as conjunctions, although and though can be interchanged.
- I went to the gym, although I was extremely tired.
- I went to the gym, though I was extremely tired.
Though can also function as an adverb, but although cannot. In this case, these two words cannot be interchanged.
- We met a while back, but he said he didn’t remember me, though.
- We met a while back, but he said he didn’t remember me, although
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